Expanding Participation in California’s Democracy: A look at current reforms and the road ahead (video)

California’s new election practices can help to expand participation. Online Voter Registration is entering its third year and Election Day Registration will be implemented in the near future with the hope of increasing participation. This panel will look at California’s diverse demographics and how election policies and practices can help expand participation in the state’s democracy.

This panel will provide an update on VoteCal and look at lessons learned from other states with centralized voter registration databases. Panelists will discuss the new voter look-up tools and public data available through the VoteCal system and potential uses for increased voter engagement.

State and federal laws require that counties provide language assistance in covered jurisdictions. Providing language assistance for limited English proficient voters ensures that all voters can participate in the election. This panel will explore new and bold efforts that are improving language assistance in California. Participants will learn about the importance of language access advisory committees and expanding the pool of eligible bilingual poll workers.

Ofelia Medina, Director of State Civic Engagement Policy, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, Moderator

Session C: Expanding Participation for Voters with Disabilities

All voters have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Election administrators and advocates work to guarantee this right for voters with disabilities. This panel will review the best practices for assisting voters with disabilities. Participants will learn best practices for engaging voters with disabilities in California’s democratic process, from providing voter information in accessible formats to casting a ballot.

Registering young voters and engaging them to vote helps to develop a life-long habit of voting. However, young voters face challenges to participation: they move frequently, making it harder to make sure they are registered at their current address; many are new to the process and unsure about how to vote; they feel undereducated about what’s on their ballot; and some feel that their vote doesn’t matter. In this session participants will contribute to a group discussion on the challenges to youth participation, new opportunities with online voter registration and pre-registration, and how to best use educational institutions and other influencers to encourage youth participation.

The right messengers and presentation of voting information can improve how voters get the information they need to participate in elections. This panel will review best practices for how to present voting information content through design and online platforms as well as examine the importance of having the right messengers. Participants will learn best practices for relaying voter information.

All voters have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Election administrators and advocates work to guarantee this right for voters with disabilities. This panel will review the best practices for assisting voters with disabilities. Participants will learn best practices for engaging voters with disabilities in California’s democratic process, from providing voter information in accessible formats to casting a ballot.

This workshop will allow participants to use the best practices for voter information (link to manual) by designing a voter guide. Participants will learn how to present election information content through layout and design to produce improved voter guides.

Jennifer Pae, Project Manager, Voter Service and Education, League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Session F: Voting Options: Increasing ways to cast a ballot beyond Election Day (video)
Across the U.S., states are expanding the concept of Election Day beyond a single day. New voting options like vote centers and vote-by-mail allow voters to cast their ballot over a period of several days or even weeks. This panel will explore what it takes to unhook Election Day from a single day to an Election season. Panelists will discuss the technologies and public education needed to implement new voting methods; the lessons California can learn from other states using vote centers and vote-by-mail elections; and will cover the latest research on California’s vote-by-mail electorate.

Each election cycle, election officials are charged with conducting fair and accessible elections for all eligible California voters. Yet cuts in funding and growing mandates pose challenges each election. This panel will explore the cost of elections and the challenges that occur when mandates increase and funding does not. Participants will learn how elections get budgeted and the latest research on the cost of elections.

Cathy Darling Allen, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters, County of Shasta (slides)

This panel will provide an update on VoteCal and look at lessons learned from other states with centralized voter registration databases. Panelists will discuss the new voter look-up tools and public data available through the VoteCal system and potential uses for increased voter engagement.

State and federal laws require that counties provide language assistance in covered jurisdictions. Providing language assistance for limited English proficient voters ensures that all voters can participate in elections. This panel will explore new and bold efforts that are improving language assistance in California. Participants will learn about the importance of language access advisory committees and expanding the pool of eligible bilingual poll workers.

Ofelia Medina, Director of State Civic Engagement Policy, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, Moderator

Session E: Practice for Designing an Improved Voter Guide

This workshop will allow participants to use the best practices for voter information (link to manual) by designing a voter guide. Participants will learn how to present election information content through layout and design to produce improved voter guides.

Across the U.S., states are expanding the concept of Election Day beyond a single day. New voting options like vote centers and vote-by-mail allow voters to cast their ballot over a period of several days or even weeks. This panel will explore what it takes to unhook Election Day from a single day to an Election season. Panelists will discuss the technologies and public education needed to implement new voting methods; the lessons California can learn from other states using vote centers and vote-by-mail elections; and will cover the latest research on California’s vote-by-mail electorate.

The low voter turnout in the 2014 elections raised much frustration across the nation. However, the elections community continues to see the silver lining that change is possible. Past policies and practices have increased participation, as is evident by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This panel will look at what states and organizers are doing nationally to increase participation and discuss the future policies and practices that will expand the electorate in years to come.

WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS

The members of the Future of California Elections work together to identify priorities and projects that advance the principles established when the group was founded in 2011.

These priorities help focus the group's work on those issues that have the greatest likelihood of real impact on the FoCE's twin goals of expanding participation and improving election administration in California.